Galaxy S3 users will recognize this as the feature that lets them share documents and photos with others in close range. I recently got some hands-on time with Group Play on the S4 and found some nice updates to the program. In particular, future S4 owners can share music and games along with photos and documents, and the group leader's device acts as the Wi-Fi access point connecting all the other devices. That means you don't have connect to any Wi-Fi or cellular data network -- a big change from the Galaxy S3 version, which relied on all devices being connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Setting up and connecting to a group is so simple that people might actually use the feature (once they realize what it is). Samsung crams tons of capabilities in all of its devices, but few consumers know they even exist, let alone how to use them. One of the company's biggest pushes this year is to make its products easier to use. With the Galaxy S4, many features such as NFC are automatically turned on instead of defaulted to the off setting. And the device has an improved notification/settings screen that's easier to navigate.
Setup
For Group Play, you launch the program by clicking an icon on the phone. The group leader has to choose "create group," which automatically turns on the Wi-Fi access point.
All other devices joining a Group Play session will recognize the access point the same way as any other Wi-Fi network. When you launch the program, you choose "join group" instead of "create group." The program then automatically searches for available Wi-Fi networks and connects when it finds one called "Group Play XXX." If there are multiple networks with "Group Play" in their name, the program gives you the option to choose which to join.
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